Dispensing apparatus



Jan. 27, 1959 M. R. ,M ANZER 2,870,590

DI'SPEINSING APPARATUS Filed May 26, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 2: 2

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Marvin R..Manzer BY WHITEHEAD a VOGL PE 6% MM ATTORNEYS Jain. 27, 1959 M. R. MANZER DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed May 26, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 5

INVENTOR. Marvin R. Manzer BY WHITEHEAD a V.OGL

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ATTORNEYS Jan. 27, 1959 M. R. .MANZER 2,

DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed May 26, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig. I!

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INVENTOR. Marvm R. Manzer BY WHITEHEAD a west.

. ATTORNEYS DISPENSDIG APPARATUS Marvin R. Manzer, Manitou Springs, Colo.

Application May 26, 1954, Serial No. 432,392

10 Claims. (Cl. 53250) This invention relates to automatic dispensing apparatus of that class which includes coin-operated beverage dispensing machines which provide paper cups as an incident of their operation, and more particularly to a novel and improved type of dispensing apparatus that presents a measured portion of soluble pellets or tablets in a paper cup.

Many compounds exist which have soluble ingredients adapted to form beverages or medical potations, and such compounds are normally provided as pellets or tablets of various form to facilitate their storage, preserve them and inhibit chemical reactions which occur when they are dissolved. One type of such pellets provides a mild medical potation having analgesic properties and substances which effervesce as the pellet is dissolved in water to lessen its objectionable taste. This type of potation is very popular and is used throughout the country, the pellets or tablets being sold directly to the public or dissolved in a glass of water to provide a drink. Another type of pellet, which is becoming increasingly popular, dissolves in a glass of water to form a sweet tasting beverage. It follows that there is a definite need for improved dispensing apparatus adapted to provide a measured number of pellets in a cup to permit a user to fill the cup with water as he desires, and such is the primary object of the invention.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a novel and improved dispensing apparatus adapted to present a measured number of soluble pellets in a paper cup which:

- (a) is fully automatic in its operation to present a cup containing such number of pellets responsive to initiating action by coin-receiving or other equivalent means; (12) is preferably positioned adjacent to a water source wherewith the cup may be filled manually as desired, although it is within the contemplation of the invention to provide automatic water-filling means; is particularly adapted to be housed within a case which provides water and drainage facilities; (d) is adapted to be charged with ordinary paper cups and provides novel and improved cup-dispensing means; (2) includes, in such cupdispensing means, an improved escapement adapted to positively separate and release a cup from the supply contained in the apparatus; (1) is adapted to be charged with a supply of pellets and provides novel and improved pellet dispensing means; (g) coordinates such pellet dispensing means with cup movement to drop the pellets into the cup as it is presented; (/1) provides novel and improved pellet dispensing means which are particularly adapted for use with flat disc-shaped pellets or tablets; (k) provides improved means for charging the apparatus with frangible disc-shaped pellets Without the danger of breaking such pellets; and (j) provides a simply constructed, economical, attractive, easily charged and operated, rugged and durable unit.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, all of which hereinafter more fully appear, my invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations and ar- United States Patet 2,870,590 Patented Jan. 27, 1959 Fig. l with the sidewall of the case removed as along the indicated line 22 at Fig. 1 to show the arrangement of mechanisms and elements within the case.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section as viewed from the indicated line 33 at Fig. 1, but on an enlarged scale and showing the apparatusas being partially charged with cups and pellets.

Figure 4 is a sectional plan as viewed from the indicated line 44 at Fig. 3 but with portions of elements broken away to show parts otherwise hidden from view, and with cup elements not shown.

Figure 5 is a sectional plan as viewed from 'a level below the indicated line 44 depicting portions of elements further broken away to show parts otherwise hidden from view.

Figure 6 is a portion of a sectional plan as viewed from a level below Fig. 5, depicting portions of elements further broken away to show parts otherwise hidden from view.

Figure 7 is a portion of a sectional plan as viewed from a level below Fig. 6, depicting portions of elements further broken away to show parts otherwise hidden from view.

Figure 8 is a sectional elevation as viewed from the indicated line 8-8 at Fig. 3, but with cup elements not shown.

Figure 9 is a sectional elevation as viewed from the indicated line 9-9 at Fig. 3, but with pellet elements not shown and with broken lines indicating an alternate position of movable elements therein.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary sectional plan as viewed from the indicated line 1ll10 at Fig. 9, with broken lines indicating an alternate position of movable elements therein.

Figure 11 is a sectional elevation similar to Fig. 3, but with the elements moved to an alternate, pellet-loading position.

Figure 12 is a sectional elevation similar to Figs. 3 and 11 but with the elements moved to yet another alternate position.

Figure 13 is a circuit diagram for a circuit adapted to operate the apparatus.

Figure 14 is a fragmentary sectional elevation, similar to a portion of Fig. 3, but showing the apparatus modilied to receive a conventional pellet container or jar.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the dispensing apparatus D, as constructed in accordance with the invention, is preferably mounted within a case 20, which provides a box-like enclosure adapted to protect the cup and pellet supplies and dispensing mechanisms. Such a case may be constructed in any ordinary manner, as with sheet metal, and willordinarily include an access lid 21 at its top and an open discharge chamber 22 at its bottom whereto a cup C moves to receive released pellets and to be filled with water for ultimate use. Such a case will ordinarily hold a coin-receiving mechanism 23 on a wall thereof, which provides means for commencing the operation of dispensing a cup and pellets, including a contact switch hereinafter further described.

A water line 24 extends into the case 20 to a manually operated valve 25 mounted on a wall of the case and thence to a discharge nozzle 26 at the top of the chamber 22. This nozzle is so directed as to fill a cup C with water after it is moved into the chamber, suitable drainage means being provided. A splash rim 27 extends about the outer edge of the chamber 22, and its base 28 is perforated, through which perforations water may drain into a drain 29. While the description is in terms of a manually operated water line, it is to be understood that meansmay be provided for automatically filling a cup with" water, which means may properly be coordinated its axis of symmetry being from the front to the rear of A pellet passage extends through the forward the case. portion of this body and a' cup passage extends through the rear portion, and paper cups C and pellets P are charged'into the caseabove the body so as to be sequentially dropped through their respective passages responsive to an escapement means within the body, as hereinafter described, and thence to drop into the chamber 22.

The cups are positioned rearwardly of the pellets and the rear wall 31 of the chamber is sloped forwardly, preferably on a curve, to move a falling cup forwardly and onto the floor of chamber 22. Guide tracks 32 are positioned in the chamber 22 along a similarly sloped and preferably curved path forwardly of and above the rear wall 31, these tracks lying at each side of the cup path to engage a cup rim 33 and hold the cup upright. The wall 31 and tracks 32 position a cup C at the forward end of the chamber 22 directly underneath the nozzle 26, hereinbefore described, and beneath an orifice 34 in the top of the chamber through which the pellets drop, all as clearly illustrated at Figs. 1 and 2.

1 The pellets P, which may be used with this apparatus, may be manufactured in various forms, but preferably as flat, circular discswhich may be stacked in a pile as within a container 35 which is adapted to upstand from the body with its lower end within a boss 36 on top of the body, all as hereinafter further described. While the apparatus will be hereinafter described as being adapted for use with such disc-like pellets, it will be understood that obvious modifications of certain passages will adapt the apparatus for use with other types of pellets as will be hereinafter explained.

The paper cups C, which are ordinarily used with dispensing apparatus of the type herein described, are shaped as tapered cylindrical members, the bottom of each cup being smaller in diameter than the top, and having an outstanding rim 33 at the top of each cup. Such cups are furnished as a stack of cups nested together and packaged in acylindrical carton 37. The body B includes a short upstanding tubular boss 38, of size to permit the cup passage therethrough, over which boss a carton 37 is placed and through which boss the cups fall when the apparatus, charged with such a cup-containing carton, is activated.

1 The forward section of the body B, containing the pel Anv tration with the chamber orifice 34, opens into the way 40 to provide a passage through which pellets P in the p through which normally lies in registration with receiving orifice 41 but when tongue 43 is extended forwardly, orifice 44 registers with discharge orifice 42. When orifice 44 lies in registration with receiving orifice 41, pellets P drop into orifice 44 as clearly illustrated at Fig. ll. Activation of the apparatus moves tongue 43 forwardly, carrying the pellets in orifice 44 toward the discharge orifice 42 as clearly illustrated at Fig. 12. It is to be noted that the thickness of the tongue 43 and way 40 must be the same as the aggregate thickness of the desired number of pellets, the drawing showing a tongue thickness adapted to receive two pellets. It is to be understoodthat where the pellets are other than disc-shaped, the shape of the orifice 41 and the thickness of the tongue 43 will be so modified that only a selected number of pellets will drop into the orifice 44 for subsequent movement through the way 40 to discharge orifice 42.

The pellet container 35 is formed as a tubular member whose inside diameter is slightly larger than the pellets P and whose outside diameter is such as to fit into the boss 36, all in such manner that the inner passage regis ters with the orifice 41. A pair of washer rings 45 may be lodged in suitable circumferential grooves near the bottom of the container to provide for a snug fit into the boss 36. V

The loading of pellets in this container presents several problems. The pellets must lie in a stack with each discshaped pellet flatly against the adjacent pellets, and such pellets are generally frangible so that they must be carefully positioned within the container. Therefore, improved loading means were conceived and developed which permits a stack of pellets to be gently lowered into place. The container tube 35 includes a longitudinal slot 46 and a series of transverse slits 47 spaced along one side of the slot. This section of the tube 35 is housed within a concentric tubular, end-closed, shell 48 which supports a lift-rod 49 alongside the slot 46. Rod 49 extends through the top of the shell 48 toa lift-knob 50 at its top which permits it to be manually lifted and rotated as desired. The rod 49 is tubular in construction and telescopically slides and rotates-on, and is held in alignment by, a guide rod 51 which upstands from the bottom of the shell 48. The base of the rod 49 carries an outstanding blade 52 which is somewhat narrow and arcuate shaped to permit it to be moved upwardly between the tube 35 and shell 48 or upwardly within the tube 35 along slot 46. The blade 52 may be moved into the slot 46 through any of the transverse slits 47 by rotation of the rod 49 as clearly illustrated at Figs'. 9 and 10.

In operation, the blade 52 is lifted to the top of the tube, within the tube 35, to receive the pellets andis gradually lowered as the pellet charge fills the tube until it reaches its bottom position alongside the bottom transverse slit 47. Then the blade is rotated out of the tube to Fig. 10, full line position, and'the stack of pellets drop into position, the spacing of the bottom Slit 47 being near enough to the'bottom of the tube 35 that the short distance of drop will not be sufii c ient to break a pellet. In intermediate operation, where s bme pellets are in position, the blade 52 is lifted above the pellets outside the tube, then it is rotated into the tube through a slit 47, then lifted to receive a supplementary charge, then lowered to the slit 47 immediately above the top of the pellets already in the tube, whereupon it is rotated out of the tube so that the supplementary charge of pellets will drop a small'distance onto the top of the pellets already in the tube.

The rearward section of the body B, containing the cup passage, includes a cover plate 53 having a central orifice, which is the passage inside the boss 38 through which the cups C drop, and a bottom plate 54, having a large rectangular opening therethrough. These plates are held apart in spaced parallelism by a pair of U-shaped guide bars 55 extending longitudinally along each side edge of the plates 53 and 54 in spaced parallelism, with the U-troughs of bars 55 facing each other. This laminated assembly is secured together by bolts 56, and the bars 55 extend to and may be integral with block 39, or may be secured to the block in any desired manner to lock the assembly together.

The plates 53 and 54 and the guide bars 55 combine to form a flat rectangular way 57 which extends within and longitudinally through the rear section of the body B, and a cup-escapement tongue 58 is reciprocably mounted within the way 57 and interconnected with the pellet tongue 4-3 to operate in unison therewith. The cupescapement tongue 58 includes a frame 59, integral with the tongue 43, which is proportioned to lie with its opposing edges in the opposing troughs of the bars 55. This frame 59 is slidable in the troughs as upon rollers 60 or any other suitable low-friction means. comparatively thin cam plates 61 and 62 lie against the top and bottom of frame 59, respectively, to extend across the opening between the flanges of bars 55, but not in the troughs thereof, and a rectangular reinforcing frame 63 is positioned above the upper and underneath the lower cam plates 61 and 62 to complete the unit, the elements of this laminated assembly being held together by suitable rivets or screws not shown.

The opening through the frame 59 and the openings through the reinforcing frames 63 are sufiiciently large so that these plates will in no manner interfere with the movement of cups through the apparatus regardless of the position of the cup-escapement tongue 58. However, the side edges of each cam plate 61 and 62 are narrowed to hold and support the bottom cup of a stack by its rim 33. The upper cam 61 has its inner rim contacting edges 61' at the forward section of the opening, in the tongue 53 so that with the tongue at its forward position as illustrated at Figs. 1 to 10, the edges 61 do not contact a cup rim, and the bottom cup of the stack rests upon the inner rim contacting edges 62' of the lower cam 62. The lower cam contacting edges 62 are at the rearward section of the opening of tongue 58 so that with the tongue at its rearward extension, as illustrated at Fig. 11, the edges 62 do not contact the bottom cup rim but release it while the next cup at the bottom of the stack rests upon the upper rim edges 61'. A subsequent return of the tongue 58 to its forward position then permits the next cup to drop to the rearward lower rim edges 62; to permit a repetition of the operative cycles. The bottom cup, so released by this action, moves forwardly in the chamber 22 to receive the pellets as hereinbefore described.

The cups nested in a stack often stick together and to provide means for positive separation of the bottom cup from the next in the stack, a sloping finger 64 depends from the underside of the upper cam 61 alongside each contact edge 61 which is adapted to contact the top of the rim of the bottom cup to release it from the next as the tongue 58 moves rearwardly.

The shiftable tongue 43-58 assembly is operated by a motorized cam assembly responsive to closing of the switches of a circuit hereinafter described. This assembly is mounted upon a plate 65 which is suspended beneath the rear section of the body B by the bolts 56 which extend through the body, thence through spacers 66 and the plate 65 to hold the plate in spaced parallelism below the body. The center portion of this plate is open to permit passage of cups, and a motor 67 is suspended below the forward end between the cup passageway and the pellet passageway. This motor is preferably a small high-speed unit with suitable gearing to reduce the speed of a drive shaft 68 to that of a single revolution per complete operating cycle of the apparatus.

The drive shaft 68 upstands through the plate 65 to carry a cam wheel 69 below the body B. The cam groove 79 of this wheel is formed as an eccentric circle of such proportions as to move its follower 71 in a longitudinal path of the same distance as the movement of the tongue 6 4358 assembly. This follower '71 is attached to the forward edge of the tongue 58 by an offset link 72 and a rigidly fixed screw 73 in the tongue, the link offset being so proportioned as to provide a proper spacial relation between the cam 69 and tongue iii-58.

Various electrical circuits may be devised to operate this apparatus, and that illustrated at Fig. 13 is representative of a given type. This circuit includes a limit switch 74 which is mounted upon the body B, as at the forward end, in a manner which causes its actuating finger '75 to be offset when the tongue 43 is moved to its forward position as illustrated at Figs. 1 to 10. In the circuit described, this switch 74 is necessarily of a tripping 'type which normally remains closed and is momentarily opened by offsetting its actuating finger 75, only to again trip closed even with the finger continuing to be offset. Such switches are commonly known and need not be further described. This switch is interposed in a circuit 76 which includes in series, a battery 7'7 or other power source, a coin-operated switch 78 adapted to be closed by a coin inserted in the receiver 23, and a relay '79 adapted to hold the switch 78 closed and to hold closed another switch 80 of a motor circuit 81. The motor circuit includes the motor 67 and a battery 82 or other suitable power source.

The operation of this apparatus, after cups C and pellets P are charged, as hereinbefore described, commences with the insertion of a coin in the receiver 23 to close switch 78. This closes the circuit '76, energizes the relay 79 to hold switch 78 closed and close the switch 80 of the motor circuit. The motor then o-perates to rotate the cam Wheel 69, and movement of the follower 71 in the groove '76 shifts the tongue 4353 rearwardly.

The rearward movement releases the bottom cup from the lower cam 62, and the fingers 64 positively separate it from the next cup to permit it to drop to the forward end of the chamber as hereinbefore described. At the limit of the rearward movement, at the half-way point of the cam wheel rotation, the orifice 44 in tongue 43 registers with orifice 41 to receive a charge of pellets. Then the tongue 4358 moves forwardly, and as it nears the forward position, the next cup of the stack drops from the upper cam to the lower cam, and at the forward limit of movement, the orifice 44 registers with the orifice 42 to drop the pellets into the cup thereunder and to offset the switch finger 75. This opens switch 74 and opens circuits 76 and fitl to stop the motor. The switch 74 then trips shut and the apparatus is ready for another operation. It is then only necessary to fill the deposited cup with water and remove it for drinking.

Figure 14 illustrates a modified form of the apparatus where the boss 36' is modified to receive the mouth of a conventional bottle 83 of the type in which pellets, of the type described, are ordinarily sold. This has the advantage of a quick charging, but with a more limited supply.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that an important feature of this invention is the handling of pellets in transfer from original container to the cup mechanically and without an operator touching the pellets with the hands.

It will also be noted that while the cups are mentioned as being in a commercial container, the cups may as well be handled in a tubular container especially adapted for use in the apparatus.

While I have illustrated and described many details of construction and arrangements, alterations and equivalents, within the scope and spirit of this invention, will occur to those skilled in the art, hence I wish my protection to be limited, not by the details illustrated and described, but only by the proper scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. A dispensing apparatus for providing a cup with a measured number of pellets therein, including, in combination, a fiat body member having a flat reciprocally.- shiftable tongue extending longitudinally therethrough, a pellet receiving orifice in the top of the body and a pellet container upstanding thereabove adapted to drop pellets into the orifice and against the tongue, a pellet discharging passageway in the bottom of the body offset from the pellet receiving orifice along a line defining the path of tongue movement, an orifice through the tongue adapted to register with the pellet receiving orifice at one limit of the tongue movement to receive a measured number of pellets, and to register with the discharge passageway at the other limit of movement to drop the pellets therethrough, and means for providing a cup supply and for moving a cup underneath the discharge orifice, responsive to said tongue movement, to receive the pellets dropped therefrom.

. 2. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the pellets are shaped as flat discs, and said tongue orifice is adapted to receive such pellets flatwise, and is of the thickness of a selected number of pellet discs.

3. A dispensing apparatus for providing a cup with a measured number of pellets therein, including, in combination, a fiat body member having a flat reciprocally-shiftable tongue extending longitudinally therethrough, means to support a pellet container upon said body, a passageway through the body and through the tongue underneath the container Wherethrough said measured number of pellets may move responsive to a reciprocation of the tongue to drop from the underside of the body, a second passageway through the body and through the tongue Wherethrough cups may drop, an escapement in the tongue in this passageway adapted to support a stack of cups nested together to upstand from the body over the passageway and to release a cup from the bottom of the stack responinto position to receive the pellets before the pellets are dropped.

4. The dispensing apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein the cups are formed as lightweight tapered cylindrical members with a rim outstanding from their top edge and are adapted to be nested together as a stack with their rims in a regular close spacing, and wherein said cup es-- capement is formed as cams adapted to contact the rim at the opposite sides of a cup.

5. The dispensing apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein limit of reciprocation and to release the cup when the second cam immediately underneath the first and adapted tongue is at the opposite limit of reciprocation, and a to contact the opposite sides of the cup at the rim' at said opposite limit of reciprocation as the cup is released from the upper 'cam and to' release the cup at the first limit of reciprocation with the' upper cam contacting the rim of the next cup in the stack.

6. The dispensing apparatus defined in claim 5, wherein fingers depend from the edge of said upper cam adapted to contact the upper edge of the rim of the cup being released by the lower cam, and thereby positively separate the cup from the cup nested within it thereabove.

7. A dispensing apparatus for providing a cup with a measured number of pellets therein, comprising, in combination, a container adapted to hold a supply of pellets, a container adapted to hold a supply of cups, a body member supporting said containers and having passageways therein wherethrough pellets and cups may move for discharge from their respective containers, correlated shiftable escapement means'within the body'traversing said passageway adapted to normally hold the cups and pellets within'their containers but adapted to shift cyclically first to release a cup and then to release a measured number of pellets and means adapted to position the released cup to receive the pellets. Y

8. A dispensing apparatus for providing a cup with a measured number of pellets therein, comprising, in combination, containers adapted to hold a supply of cups and to hold a supply of pellets, a body member supporting said containers side by side, passageways through the body wherethrough said cups and pellets may drop from their respective containers for discharge therefrom, correlated shiftable escapement means within the body traversing said passageways adapted to normally hold the cups and pellets in their containers but to shift to cyclicallyfirst to release a cup and then to release a measured number of pellets, and means adapted to position the released cup to receive the pellets.

9. The apparatus, defined in claim 8, wherein the passageway through the body through which the pellets move is formed with a lateral ofiset and said escapement means includes a shiftable tongue across said offset having an orifice therein adapted to register with the upper portion of the offset passageway in one position and to register with the lower portion of the offset passageway in another position. v

10. The apparatus defined in claim 8, wherein said escapement means includes a tongue extending across the passageways, operable to'reciprocally shift to release a cup at one limit of movement and to release pellets at the opposite line of movement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,521,819 Lenz Jan. 6,1925 1,539,161 Columbro May 26, 1925 2,109,391 Lauck et al Feb. 22, 1938 2,390,448 Moeller Dec. 4, 1945 2,471,100 Dodge May 24, 1949 2,543,934 Poskey Mar. 6, 1951 2,653,743 Stenger .2 Sept. 29,1953 2,685,393 Thompson Aug. 3, 1954 2,714,973 Meyer et a1 Aug. 9, .1955 

